Modular Hg analysis devices and methods are described for use in mercury speciation protocols. Modules can be selected and removably connected to one another to specifically target mercury species in a sample so as to accurately determine the presence or quantity of different mercury species in a fluid sample. Modules can include reductants for reducing inorganic mercury to form elemental mercury and amalgamation agents to capture the elemental mercury. Modules can include filters for capture of particulates as well as capture agents, e.g., solid phase extraction agents, for capture of organic mercury species.

A metal adsorbent that includes silver-decorated graphene nano-platelets and a polymer matrix that comprises polyamide, wherein the metal adsorbent is a highly porous material with a specific surface area of 200 to 300 m.sup.2/g and an average pore size of 50 to 100 , which effective removes heavy metals and cations from a liquid. Various embodiments of the metal adsorbent and a method of making thereof are also provided.

Methods and compositions for the adsorptive removal of methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE) from contaminated water sources and systems. The compositions are in the form of particles having sizes in a range of 100 nm to 2.5 m and contain acid-treated fly ash doped with 1-10 nm silver oxide nanoparticles. The compositions may comprise 50-90 wt % acid-treated fly ash and 10-50 wt % silver oxide nanoparticles relative to a total weight. Methods of preparing and characterizing the compositions are also provided.

Methods and materials for determining the affinity of separation materials for targeted species are described. A composite separation medium is described that combines a separation material such as an ion exchange material or a sorbent with an SERS substrate. Methods and materials can be utilized to determine the distribution coefficient of a species for a separation material after running a single separation protocol followed by examination of the separation material of the protocol according to SERS. Disclosed methods can be utilized to determine the affinity of existing separation materials for targeted species as well as to determine the affinity of newly engineered separation materials to characterize species.

In one aspect, an oxygenated hierarchically porous carbon (an O-HPC) is provided, the O-HPC comprising: a hierarchically porous carbon (an HPC), the HPC comprising a surface, the surface comprising: (A) first order pores having an average diameter of between about 1 m and about 10 m; and (B) walls separating the first order pores, the walls comprising: (1) second order pores having a peak diameter between about 7 nm and about 130 nm; and (2) third order pores having an average diameter of less than about 4 nm, wherein at least a portion of the HPC surface has been subjected to O.sub.2 plasma to oxygenate and induce a negative charge to the surface. In one aspect, the O-HPC further comprises metal nanoparticles dispersed within the first, second, and third order pores. Methods for making and using the metal nanoparticle-impregnated O-HPCs are also provided.

A resin nanocomposite, including a resin skeleton structure and nanoparticles. The resin skeleton structure is an aminated polystyrene. The nanoparticles are dispersed in the resin skeleton structure. The specific area of the nanocomposite is between 50 and 300 m.sup.2/g, and the pore size thereof is between 5 and 40 nm. The invention also provides a method for preparing the resin nanocomposite, the method including: 1) mixing and dissolving a linear polyethylene with a chloromethyl polystyrene or a polyvinyl chloride to yield a polymer solution, and adding the nanoparticles to the polymer solution; 2) adding an alcohol solution to liquid nitrogen; adding the mixed solution dropwise to the liquid nitrogen to yield a mixture; allowing the mixture to stand; collecting, washing and drying resin beads to yield a composite material; and 3) adding the composite material to an amine solution for reaction, and washing and drying the resulting product.

A water filtration system is provided that comprises a combination of two components: silver nanoparticles immobilized on a porous carbon solid matrix and calcium carbonate silver nanoparticles. The silver nanoparticles immobilized on the porous carbon solid matrix are prepared in a one-step wet ball milling process that does not use an environmentally hazardous reducing agent or an organic stabilizer. The calcium carbonate in the calcium carbonate silver nanoparticles is preferably isolated from egg shells. The two filter components can be present in any ratio but an approximate 50:50 ratio is preferred. Also provided is an in situ method of preparing silver nanoparticles on active charcoal. Powdered activated charcoal and silver nitrate are mixed together in a mixture of ethanol and water to form a charcoal-silver nitrate solution which is then subjected to ball milling in the presence of polypropylene glycol to produce silver nanoparticles on active charcoal.

Multi-functional materials for use in reversible, high-capacity hydrogen separation and/or storage are described. Also described are systems incorporating the materials. The multi-functional materials combine a hydrogen-absorbing material with a high-efficiency and a non-contact energy-absorbing material in a composite nanoparticle. The non-contact energy-absorbing material include magnetic and/or plasmonic materials. The magnetic or plasmonic materials of the composite nanoparticles can provide localized heating to promote release of hydrogen from the hydrogen storage component of the composite nanoparticles.

A Biorefinery System (BIOSYS) that effectively treats all human activity-derived waste (black water, grey water, and food waste streams) using biological systems and that produces as process by-products: recovered potable water, liberated free oxygen, edible protein cake (with and without lipids), soil amendments, and machinery lube oils. Additionally, the system captures and chemically binds carbon dioxide into microbial cells and associated by-products, thus producing recovered usable returned cabin air.

Methods, compositions, devices and kits having a novel chromatographic material are provided herein for separating and identifying organic molecules and compounds, for example molecules and compounds containing electron rich functional groups such as carbon-carbon double bonds. The methods, compositions, and kits include a metal-thiolate chromatographic medium (MTCM) with a sulfur-containing functional group or a metal-selenolate chromatographic medium (MSCM) comprising a selenium-containing functional group covalently attached to a support medium, such that the sulfur-containing functional group or selenium-containing functional group is bound to at least one metal atom. The MTCM and/or MSCM has affinity and specificity to compounds having one or more carbon-carbon double bonds, and performs a highly efficient and rapid separation of samples yielding non-overlapping peaks of purified materials compared to traditional media.